GENDER: HUMANWhat is it like to be a transgender person in today’s Finland?

Opening reception Sunday November 6th from 2 to 6 pm.

Exhibition is open November 7-13.2016Monday - Friday from 3 to 8 pm Saturday - Sunday from 12 to 5 pm

What is it like to be a transgender person in today’s Finland?

“Ten years ago in high school, we had an autumn holiday party in my home in Kalajoki. I had asked the guests to leave, and I was about to go to bed, when I took a glance in the mirror. In that moment I suddenly realized, ”Oh fuck, you know you’re transgender, right?”Aura, 27, Helsinki

“My body would be much better if I had gotten the right hormones at the very beginning. Then my body would have turned just a little bit in the right direction. But when I was younger, I didn’t know about these things. That needs to be fixed. Trans people should not have to go through puberty without help. "Iiro, 28, Oulu

"What kind of example would I like to be for my children? This was something I thought a lot about. Do we have to grit our teeth and endure life, or can we live to the fullest, and be loving, not fearful? "Elise, 46, Helsinki

The stories and portraits of Aura, Iiro, Elise and eight other people are on display at the exhibition and as well as on the website:www.sukupuolenaihminen.fi

“Gender: Human” project in a nutshell:

It’s impossible to know the true number of trans and intersex persons in the world, because cultural constraints, fear and shame keep many closet doors tightly closed. According to estimates, in Europe alone approximately 1.5 million people belong to a gender minority. In Finland about 300 people annually begin the gender reassignment process. (Source: Trasek, 2016.)

The “Gender: Human” project shows, through interviews and photographs, what it is like to be a transgender person in today’s Finland. What does gender mean to these people, how do other people react to them, and how would they like their communities to relate to them?

Between 2015 to 2016, we travelled around Finland interviewing and photographing transgender people of various ages and in different life situations. The photos and interviews are summarized in the exhibition.

We cannot talk with the voice of others, but we can speak on their behalf, so that their voice can be heard more clearly. The project aims to shed light on transgender and promote understanding of gender diversity. We also hope that the pictures and stories will help and support those people pondering their own gender, and their loved ones.